You Tear Down My Reason
by Mixilip1
Summary: She thought she could continue with her life normally after the war. She was wrong. He was dark, corrupted, and he was ready to do anything to complicate her life. Far from getting closer to perfection, she was closer to being the reason he stayed alive. Trapped between an intoxicating temptation and reason, Hermione will learn not everything is black and white.
1. Still enemies

**A/N: I had this enormous plot bunny that wouldn't go away, and well, here I am writing yet another story. For the ones who've come here and have read my other story, please understand, *This work will have dark themes that may be triggering to some.* So please be considerate and read at your own risk.**

 **Although this story will be much darker than my other fic, I hope you'll like it, and if you do,** **please leave a review :)**

* * *

After a long day working on next week's homework, Hermione Granger decided she had enough potion ingredients in her head for the evening. In fact, she pretty much had enough of it for the remains of the school year. Ever since Professor Slughorn came back for the position of Potions Master at school, he seemed to be having a lack of discipline for the subject, and the classes had a tedious and boring turn. _He's_ _just_ _getting_ _old_ Hermione thought, _and_ _since_ _Professor_ _Snape_ _died_ _at_ _the_ _battle_ , _they_ _haven't_ _found_ _a_ _decent_ _replacement_.

With a heavy sigh, she put her books back inside her bag, and as she got ready to leave the library, her eyes spotted movement in the school grounds visible from the window next to the table. She moved closer to the window, and while her eyes adjusted to the view, she saw a wizard and a witch hugging or rather fondling each other near a big tree.

 _Draco_ _Malfoy_. Hermione's eyes narrowed when she recognised the familiar silver blond hair and tall figure. He looked relaxed and unchanged, just as if the war never happened. Without meaning to, Hermione stayed a second longer watching throughout the window, and as if sensing someone was watching, Draco turned his head towards the library windows and spotted her. Draco noticed her looking, and with the snobbiest smirk, he could muse, he looked straight up the window where Hermione was, and grabbed the girl's fanny with a hand and then lounged in for her neck. _For the love of Merlin, could he be any less classy? No, scratch that, any less barbaric?_ Hermione thought, revolted by the scene she just experienced.

 _Out of the whole generation, why did he have to be the one returning?_  
After Kingsley announced that any student who was in the seventh year during the war was exempted from doing their N.E.W.T.S, and had the right to apply to any job without having them, almost no student returned to Hogwarts to re-do their last year. Naturally, Hermione was utterly against the idea and refused to leave Hogwarts without first finishing school properly. Harry and Ron tried to convince her numerous times over the summer to drop her idea to return, but after the twentieth time she turned them down, they gave up, but not without first telling her she was mental for doing it.

" _There's someone else innit?" Ron had told her a day before she returned to Hogwarts._

 _"No, Ronald. There isn't." She'd told him with a sigh, rolling her eyes, "As I've told you before if I want to join the Investigation Department and help you Aurors, then I'm going to have to sharpen my arithmancy skills. And yes," She said before Ron could retort, "I **know** I can have the position right now if I wanted, but how am I going to serve any use as a decent strategist if I haven't mastered the basics? I'm staying Ron, and if you want to keep on with this, then you can't argue with me about this decision, whether you like it or not,"_

The truth was, Hermione had meant to end her short relationship with Ron before the year started (it wasn't going anywhere), but something inside of her stopped her from doing it at the last minute before departing to Hogwarts. Pity? Guilt? Hermione had yet to resolve her decision to continue with her so-called relationship with Ron, but for the time being, she was glad she could rest from it all while at school. That is, she could rest from it all at school as long as she didn't have a run-in with Malfoy. They were at the brink of Easter holidays, and Hermione couldn't wait for a second longer to stay away from the twat who also went by the name Draco Malfoy.

After Hermione decided she wanted to go back to school, McGonagall, now as headmistress, was not only excited for her return but also glad to inform her nothing would please her most than to name her Head Girl. But Hermione's excitement over the position lasted short, for when she entered the train's Head Boy and Girl compartment, the face of Draco Malfoy greeted her with an unwelcome sneer and a sarcastic look. " _You better stay out of my way Granger, I don't want any trace of Mudblood scum near me or any of my things."_ He'd told her back then and Hermione, while trying to be polite at most and ignore him in every way possible, went straight to McGonagall first thing when they had already settled in the castle.

" _I_ _can't make any changes, I'm afraid. Draco Malfoy has to stay in the position of Head Boy, it is not only for his safety, but it is also a test from the Ministry."_

 _"But can't the Ministry see he hasn't changed? Right then on the train, he called me a Mudblood! It felt like the past year never even happened! It felt as if I wasn't tortured right in front of him in his drawing-room while Harry and Ron were held captive in their dungeon! It felt as if Voldemort was still alive!" Hermione exclaimed, furious he was granted a position he didn't deserve and the fact they now shared a common room and a bathroom._

 _Minerva only looked at her with remorseful eyes and said, "I know Hermione. And I know Mr Malfoy doesn't deserve this position, but the Ministry wouldn't let me do otherwise. It's one of the main conditions he has to do if he wants to avoid trial. That and, it was also Albus' recommendation." She said while diverting her eyes momentarily towards the defunct headmaster's portrait and gave Hermione a tight smile before saying,_

 _"I know this must be hard for you, Hermione. I also know you're still trying to recover your parents' memories, but I beg of you to be considerate and a little compassionate for Draco. You see, he's not only on the fine line between being accused of being an accomplice to Voldemort and being innocent, but he also lost his family, his friends. His father was sent to Azkaban, and his mother is on house arrest. And his friends, well I can't say if he had many, but most of them fled or went into hiding. I'm disappointed to admit it, but most of your Slytherin classmates' parents were Death Eaters."_

 _"I don't understand how someone who has lived all those things, could still be so rotten inside," Hermione said, looking down and away from McGonagall.  
"I don't believe he is rotten." Minerva said, and Hermione shot her eyes back at her, "I assume he is just afraid. Afraid of what may come in the future not only for the wizarding society but for him as well. He's unprotected now. The resentment you have towards him; many of your classmates also share it. The position of Head Boy will grant him some security if there were to be any vengeance. It also grants him some time away from everybody and to think clearly about what happened and which side he is on. You might not know this, Hermione, but Draco Malfoy has been in and out from trials ever since the war ended." Minerva said, and Hermione only nodded in return, having remembered she had attended some of them. "What I meant to say is, even though Draco may seem the same as before, don't misjudge him. His defence against the world might be the only thing he was taught over the years; hatred."_

 _"I suppose you're right, Headmistress. But that doesn't mean he has the right to belittle me or anyone who crosses paths with him!" She said, her cheeks fuming with heat._

 _"No, he hasn't. But I only ask of you Hermione, to try and be polite with him this last year. Show him an olive branch he can reach to and hopefully make some change in him."_

 _"I'll try," Hermione said with a small, defeated smile and turned to leave_.

But the olive branch Hermione tried to give Malfoy only lasted for as long as she next saw him that day in their new shared common room. Ever since the start of the year, it was well known in the student body the quarrels between Head Boy and Girl didn't turn in full-on fights because of their positions.  
Every time Hermione tried to be civil towards Malfoy, he only responded with snide remarks and insults " _Fucking_ _Mudblood_ " He would whisper to her every time he encountered her in the common room whenever he went out or came in. At first, Hermione tried to ignore the name-calling and the nasty comments, but after a month of living together in the small confined space, she also started with the name-calling and hateful retorts. After months went by, their heated arguments, and the belittling that happened whenever giving the briefing for the prefects decreased a little. They instead started to ignore each other and decided only to talk whenever it was necessary. Naturally, it was almost impossible to do it, and it was even more challenging to do, whenever Malfoy had visits coming over to his room.

The first time it happened, Hermione was returning from a trip from Hogsmeade; she'd bought a new book and couldn't wait to read it in front of her fireplace in the common room. When she reached their dorms, she opened the portrait and was surprised as well as traumatised to find Malfoy shagging the brains out of a Ravenclaw girl right in the middle of the room.  
"What the _fuck_?" Hermione angrily screamed, and while the sixth-year girl tried to cover her modesty, Draco only stood up and with a smug look, and proceeded to put back on his clothes with all the patience in the world, making sure not to break eye contact with Hermione. After the girl finally left, Hermione was fuming with anger, "Care to explain yourself?" She said, and Draco merely told her unpreoccupied, "There's nothing much to explain Granger. I believe what you saw is what happened. Unless of course, you want me to go over details." He said and flashed her a wide grin.

Hermione's cheeks went redder. "No, I don't want you to go over details you disgusting prick, I want you to explain why were you shagging a girl in our common room! Not only is it against the rules to bring non-prefects here, but I believe it is strictly prohibited to-to _copulate_ in school grounds!" She said and shut her eyes, trying to forget the image of what just happened.

" _Copulate?_ No wonder why Weaselbee hasn't fucked you yet Granger. No one in their right mind uses the word _copulate_ when referring to fucking." Draco said, and in her anger, Hermione turned her hand into a fist.

"Oh? Hit a nerve there eh, Mudblood?" He said, his grin growing, and he slowly got closer to Hermione, who only stepped further back from him and felt her wand in the pocket, just to be sure.

"Don't." Hermione said "Don't even think you're getting away with this Malfoy, I'm telling Headmistress McGonagall. Maybe you've had your fair share of getting away with things this year, but I don't think she will be as forgiving for this." She said smugly and turned to leave, but Draco was quicker than her. Grabbing her by the wrist, he spun her until her back hit his torso. His arm was around her so both her arms remained still in front of her, trapping her in place.

"And why," He said, whispering at her ear, "Would you think it's a good idea to tell her?"

"Because," She said, trying not to stutter, "Actually, I don't need to justify myself, you broke the rules and quite badly if I must say."

"I was truly enjoying myself before your little mudblood arse came in and ruined the fun." He said, tightening his grip on Hermione, making her slightly whimper, "But you know, I believe our precious Gryffindor princess was enjoying herself too." His words dripped with venom each and one of them, stirring Hermione to the core. Instead of trying and loosen herself from his iron grip, she couldn't help but stay in place, unmoving. "You're delusional if you think for a second, I enjoyed that grotesque view." She responded, gritting her teeth.

"Oh, but I do think you enjoyed it. I believe it even turned you **_on_**." He said, his lips almost touching her ear. "I know a lustful look when I see one, mudblood, and even when the other tart left the room, you still had that gleam in your eye, that ardent look I bet Weasley hasn't given you once." He said, his tongue barely caressing the outer shell of her ear. Hermione snapped to her senses and tried to pull off of him, "Get off Malfoy! You won't get away from it this time, not with your lies nor façades!" She said, and pushed with her back his chest, trying to break free.

"And for the record, I felt disgusted by your little scene. After my meeting with McGonagall, I will have to go to the loo and vomit."

"Don't kid yourself, Granger," Draco said, finally letting her go and gave her a superior look. "I know you won't go telling your precious Headmistress what just happened here."

"Oh? And care to tell me why?" She said, adjusting her skirt.

"I know you won't tell McGonagall a thing because of your nocturnal escapades." He said with a knowing look and Hermione turned white. No, she thought and narrowed her eyes at him. "You wouldn't" She replied, and he only laughed. "Oh, but, I would. Think I wouldn't know, but I'm a keen listener and an observer, and something tells me it's not for study the times I've seen you late at night with the Weaselette running around the castle, hiding from the teachers, or the times I've heard you enter with her completely pissed here.  
"I also would tell McGonagall that I know of your precious Quidditch captain sneaking out now and then off school grounds and how you've helped her go in and out." He said.

 _Damn you, Ginny, I knew someone would find out sooner or later about it_ Hermione cursed herself and started thinking about the possibilities if she told McGonagall, but Draco interrupted her,

"I know what you're trying to do there; stop it. It is very simple- you don't tell McGonagall what you saw here, and I may remember not to tell anyone about your weekly escapades." He said, and after a few silent moments of debating on it, Hermione exalted, said "Fuck _you_ , Malfoy," pushing him away somewhat hard, and without looking back, went up to her dorm.

* * *

The Great Hall was already packed with students when Hermione arrived for dinner. It was rare to see it full of students ever since the start of the year. Many did not return to Hogwarts after the war had ended. Most of the Muggle-Borns were hiding, dead, or their parents did not think Hogwarts was a safe place to let them stay any further. And as for the rest, many did not return; they weren't completely assured the war was over and were too afraid. Others were in too much grieving to go back to normality. Almost every student knew someone who'd died in the war. Either way, the castle now looked even more significant than it previously did in comparison from other years, and dinner was the time where most students attended the Great Hall, the Slytherin table being the emptiest of the four.

Ginny was already sitting at the Gryffindor table and waved at Hermione to join her.  
"How long have you been here for?" Hermione asked her and helped herself with some pumpkin juice and kidney pudding.  
"Oh, not long. I'm finished though, but I'll make your company while you eat." Ginny told her with a smile, and without looking at her, instead, she was dolling herself up with a pocket mirror.  
Hermione saw both her plate and cutlery were untouched, and the only things sitting on her place were her juice-stained goblet and a half-eaten apple. She sighed and looked over at Ginny with a stern face, "Ginny, again? I thought you told me this would end weeks ago!" She whispered at her, and the redhead looked at her guiltily.

"I know Hermione but-" She said and took both Hermione's hands in hers, "It won't be like before, promise. This is just… unfinished business." She said, and Hermione raised an eyebrow at her, not believing her words. "Unfinished business?"  
"Oh, Hermione, come on!" Ginny whined, looking at her with puppy eyes. "I haven't gone there in weeks and is not like I'm doing anything illegal! I'm already of age, you know!"  
"Yes, but you are breaking school rules, and you're with Harry! Remember?" Hermione said, not believing Ginny would do this without thinking about the consequences appropriately.  
"Oh, Harry, Harry, _Harry!_ That's all you ever talk about! Give me some rest here, Hermione! Sometimes I really do think you're more enamoured with him than you are with my brother! That's all you ever talk about, and it's no fun." Ginny said, and Hermione couldn't help but look at her with an incredulous look.  
"What are you talking about? The only times we talk about him, or Ron is whenever they write to us, they're visiting, or when you go to these things! That's still cheating, you know?"  
"Not if it's with a girl it isn't," Ginny said, not looking at Hermione and she sighed,

"Look, Ginny, it is. And I don't want to scold you or anything because you're my best friend and I know you're old enough to know what you're doing but -Harry is my best friend too, and I know I promised I wouldn't say a thing -it's not my place to tell, and I won't but, I don't want either of you to get hurt." Hermione said and sighed, "Besides, we already have Malfoy in our tails, and I wouldn't want him to find something else to further blackmails us about." She said, and Ginny looked at her with a conflicted look, "I know this may all look bizarre and wrong, but… I feel so _free_ there, you know? The people I meet; it's all a different type of connection and… I don't know, I'm sure Harry has been fooling around lately, and this is just my way of coping with it." She said, picking on her apple and Hermione knew what she was talking about.

After the end of the war, many parties followed, and with them, firewhiskey followed too. Harry told Hermione that he had drunkenly kissed Luna, and by the time Ginny told her also about it, Ginny said to her she knew ever since the war ended, Harry had been acting strangely. She said to her that even though it all seemed innocent, she had too, seen them again together in Hogsmeade a little over a month after school had started. But it didn't look like Ginny was mad at Luna for what happened. In reality, even though she'd seemed upset at the beginning, Hermione later spotted them making peace with one another in the hall after it happened. Although, more than talking, it looked more like a snogging session.

"Anyway," Ginny said, snapping Hermione out of her thoughts. "I'll deal later with wonder boy; I would like to hear from you. You haven't mentioned my brother or said anything at all, unless you're complaining about him, in weeks. I mean, I know he is as boring as he gets but, is everything okay between the two of you? I know you wanted to dump him ever since you two practically started going out, but I don't understand why you haven't done it already." _Yeah_ , _why_ _haven't_ _you_ , _Hermione?_

"I love him," Hermione said quickly without thinking, and now it was Ginny's turn to look at her with an are-you-serious? look.

"No, you don't. You just pity him, and you well bloody know you do."

"I can't leave him, Ginny." Hermione said with an apprehensive look, "Every time I want to do it, he finds a way or another to convince me I won't leave him. And I just-" Hermione stopped herself from saying further, ashamed of the real reason she hadn't left Ron.  
"When you find yourself, someone who is really worth it, it'll be as easy as it is to cast a spell for you," Ginny said, and Hermione caught Draco coming into the Great Hall. She narrowed her eyes at him as he sat in the Slytherin Table; Ginny noticed this and in a lower voice said, "Did something happen today?"

Hermione looked away from Draco and shook her head, "No, just the usual." She said, "But at least I'll have to endure his face for only a bit more, once we graduate, I won't have to see the ferret ever again." She gave Ginny a tight smile, and while drinking from her goblet, she only replied, "If you say so".

She quickly glanced back at the Slytherin table and found Draco looking straight back at her, his silver-blue eyes unmoving, and he held a snide glare that made Hermione's skin crawl. The stare was so intense, she suddenly felt a dark twitch in her core move she couldn't quite explain. But she knew she didn't like it.

* * *

The morning after, Hermione walked back to her dorm from breakfast, ready to grab her things and meet Ginny near the clock tower entrance to go to Hogsmeade. When she reached the portrait to the Head Dorms, she found Draco was already inside the dorms, in the centre of the common room. Trying not to remember the horrible scene that had happened months ago, she decided to ignore him and went up to her room.

"Don't go so quick, Granger." Draco said without looking her way, and with a heavy sigh, she replied, "What do you want Malfoy? I thought the other day you said you'd pretend I don't exist for the rest of the year." Hermione said, rolling her eyes, and with a fake smile and in a sickly-sweet tone said, "Did you finally realise you can't live without me and decided to stop being a complete tosser?"

Draco frowned at her and went up to the stairs, only stopping a step below Hermione, towering her. "Don't think so fast, sweetheart. If I wanted, I could have you dead, you know?" He said, getting closer to her and she replied, unafraid, "So much for pretending I didn't exist. How long did it last? A Day?"

"Shut up Granger," Draco said, moving a bit back. "I called you because of this." He said with a letter on his hand, and Hermione snatched it from his hands, recognising the envelope. It was already opened. "How did you get your hands on it? I was waiting for this!" Hermione exclaimed, and stepped out from the proximity with the wizard to go down the stairs. "Why did you read it? This is personal! You had no right!"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist mudblood; you were accepted if that's what you wanted to know," Draco said, rolling his eyes, also coming down the stairs. "And your filthy letter was laying around with some of my letters that came in today. You know we receive correspondence here instead of the Great Hall."

"I already know that." She snapped, "I just wanted to know why you read it! It's none of your business!" She said with anger; she was furious at Malfoy for reading her letter even more than her excitement for being accepted.

"Because, Granger," Draco said, stepping closer to her. "It becomes my business when I'll work there too, as an Auror." He said with a devilish smirk, and Hermione looked at him with big eyes, realisation dawning upon her. _No_. She whispered, "You wouldn't dare," She said, shaking her head, and turning her back to him, "They won't let you do it. You're too dangerous to be trusted as an Auror. You were a Death Eater for Merlin's sake!"

"Try me, Granger," Draco said from behind her and Hermione turned with a deep scowl on her features. "I've proven my innocence throughout the year, and who better to work in the Auror Department than someone who knows how dark wizards think? You might think you'll see the last of me when we graduate, but if what the letter says is true, then we'll not only keep seeing each other, but we'll work _closer_ than we do in Hogwarts." He said, handing her a letter with an envelope similar to hers.

It was an acceptance letter to be in the Auror Department immediately after graduation, the new law concerning their generation making it possible for Draco to be an Auror without the three-year training. Hermione quickly eyed the letter, and her eyes fell at the bottom of it; Kingsley signed it.

"Don't think I'm pleased to know you'll work at the Investigation Department, Granger. I hate to see you and your filthy face every day, and I know it'll only worsen. But if I have a chance to do the things I like and still taunt you over it, then it'll be my pleasure to work with you." He said, flashing her a smug smile and turned to go up to his room.

"Oh and, Granger?" Draco said before entering his room, "I think I'll go out to Hogsmeade today, might bring someone with me on my way back. I left the prefect patrol schedules on the table there for you to revise them. Well, if there's anything to revise that is, I didn't have the time to do them. I believe McGonagall asked for them. I told her you'd bring her the schedule later in the day." He said, and Hermione looked at him with eyes that could kill, "Don't mean to bother you, but if I were you, I'd apply myself to do them, I mean, you wouldn't want Weasley to get into trouble." He said, and with a final proud look, he turned back and closed his dorm.

"Malfoy you sodding prick, one day I'll kill you with my bare hands, I'll _promise_ ," Hermione said under her breath and decided Ginny will have to wait a bit to go out to Hogsmeade.

* * *

 **A** / **N: R &R please!**


	2. The price of purity

**A/N: Hey guys, I hope you're all liking it, please if you have any suggestion, comment, or questions, let me know. I hope to update soon! :)**

 **I still don't know if my chapters will stay this short or if I'll make them longer, but I like this length for this story so far.**

 **Please enjoy, keep reading and review :)**

* * *

 _ **MALFOY, INNOCENT?** _

_**By Rita Skeeter** _

_**After many trials endured by the Malfoys following the fall of Lord Voldemort, it would've appeared Lucius Malfoy, head of family and powerful wizard, as well as his wife Narcissa Malfoy, to be found guilty of condoning and being an accomplice to Lord Voldemort. Not only for granting him refuge in their manor for more than a year but also the enact in dark magic. After the trial in May of the last year, Lucius Malfoy has sentenced a life prison in Azkaban, and Narcissa Malfoy, a year of house arrest without the use of magic. Their son, Draco Malfoy, managed to walk free with the condition of good behaviour and to return to Hogwarts for his final year, as Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shackebolt stipulated it.** _

_**But after the shocking reveal of letters made by Mrs Malfoy to her sister, Andromeda Tonks, during the months of Lord Voldemort's rule, defection against Voldemort was apparent before his fall. It would appear the decision to maintain the dark wizard under their roof was a ploy made by the Malfoys to prevent him from finding war hero, young and naïve Harry Potter, any sooner. This finding exonerated the whole family of any accusation, and all charges were dropped.** _

_**For a detailed interview with Narcissa Malfoy, turn to page 9** _

Hermione was livid. The news of the Malfoys being innocent was brought by Harry the weekend before the Daily Prophet came out, so when the article was published, she already knew what it would say. They all knew or rather suspected it was a blatant lie the Malfoys were innocent, and even after talking to Kingsley about it, he too thought of it as suspicious. Still, when Andromeda shamefully confirmed it, the letters could be nothing less than the truth.

"I can't believe they're getting away from it!" Hermione decided that morning she would only eat a toast and orange juice. All hunger from her was gone.

"You heard Andromeda; she does have the memory of Malfoy's mother sending the letters to her." Ginny told her while eating her cereal, "They even used a pensive on her and all."

"I know Ginny; it's only that… Why now? If they were so sure of their innocence, they must've said something before they let themselves be sentenced! And Andromeda too, she never said anything before they revealed the letters. It seems too suspicious to me." The photo of the Malfoys smiling and waving at the cameras was enough for Hermione to put the newspaper away in disgust.

"Yes, we all think it's suspicious, but after her statement, Andromeda refuses to talk to anyone, so we don't know what happened. Either way, you'll be soon working with the Aurors, maybe you'll figure out if this is real or only a play."

"Yes, I suppose…" Hermione's mood went down from bad to worse at the remainder of her future job as a strategist.

"Oh, I keep forgetting you'll be still seeing _Mr Slytherin Prince_ a lot when we graduate." Ginny's Cheshire smile was wide, and Hermione shot her a glare. "How's it going so far?" Ginny said, ignoring Hermione's furtive glare.

"Ugh, it's been only a few days since I found about it and bloody ferret won't keep his mouth shut. Every time he finds fit, he gloats about how Kingsley personally interviewed him for the position of Auror. If it weren't Kingsley we're talking about, I'd be sure he imperioused whoever did the interview."

Ginny laughed. "Wow, I didn't pin our Head Girl to have a potty mouth, he must _really_ piss you off."

They both stood up from their seats and made their way to their first period. "You can't imagine."

"But you can't deny though; the bloke is a fine piece of a man. Even you can't say no to that, and I bet living with him and seeing him everyday must've opened your eyes."

"Ginny, even if the man was a God walking on Earth, his appalling personality makes him hideous." Hermione wanted at that moment badly to shake away all memory of finding him half-undressed whenever she entered their common room.

"You didn't deny he's a fine piece of work though," Ginny said, and even though Hermione had her back turned to her, she knew the redhead was smiling madly. She sighed.

* * *

It had been days since Draco had triumphally driven Granger towards annoyance after his incessant gloating about his new position at the Auror department. It wasn't a position Draco dreamed of when asked about what he wanted to do after Hogwarts, but it was an easy excuse to maintain his mother off his back for some time. That, and the idea came to him after one afternoon he heard Granger talking with the Weaselette in their common room, both thinking he was out and not knowing he was in his room, listening carefully to their conversation.

" _You must come to one of these parties Hermione, it could serve you if you just let go for once in a while," Weasley said to Granger._

 _"And you must stop smuggling Elf wine to the castle, and even more to my common room! Do you know what would happen if Malfoy catches you with that? I'm already afraid he finds out about you sneaking out the castle, I don't want any more problems."_ _Typical Mudblood, always so bloody uptight_ _Draco thought and rolled his eyes, the conversation was starting to turn more interesting by the minute. He already knew about Ginevra's nocturnal escapades and her drinking habits. Still, he was waiting for the right moment to blackmail Granger about it, so he decided to keep on listening._

" _You wouldn't be this strict if you went to one with me. I bet if you just shagged a nice bloke, you would be a little more carefree." "Ginny!" Draco had to chuckle silently at what Weasley had said. It was true though; he bet if the Mudblood just let go for a bit, she wouldn't be such pain in the arse._

 _"Anyway, have you decided on the Auror thingy yet?" Weasley said, and that caught Draco's attention back to the conversation._ _Granger, an Auror? You must be kidding me! She wouldn't last two days in the job_

 _"I've told you I don't want to be an Auror, not an official one to be precise. I'd be working in the Investigation Department. Although I would constantly be working with Aurors and maybe involving myself in investigations, I won't do the dirty job, to put it bluntly. But I've still got to go to the interview and wait for a letter of acceptance."  
_

" _Still the same to me. And if I were you, I wouldn't worry, Shackebolt accepted Harry and Ron without thinking twice; he would be mad if he didn't accept you." Draco heard Ginevra drinking what must've been Elf wine. Draco stopped listening to their conversation as it now rotated from Granger to Weasley and couldn't stop thinking about what Granger had said._

 _It hadn't crossed his mind to join the Auror Department before, and it wasn't like the job didn't seem interesting enough, but it was the perfect excuse for his mother to lay off of him for a while._

And now, Draco had a letter of acceptance and a job he didn't think through before applying to it. Sure, it was exciting as hell, but after he confronted Granger about it, only then he realised he would not only work with her regularly but with Potter and Weasley as well. _Fucking hell_

It was the day before the Easter Holidays, and just as Draco thought of relaxing in his dorm before his nightly patrols, Pansy decided to visit him. A visit he was sure would leave him tired and with a bad mood after she left. It wasn't as though he loathed her, because to be honest, she would serve as a lifesaver every time Draco was frustrated or just wanted a quick shag. If only those two factors were put into consideration, yes, Draco was glad she also stayed to finish her last year. But if he thought about everything else about her and how bothersome and cry-baby she was, Draco could not stand her.

The thing about Pansy was, she was a good shag. But she was only that, a good shag. She had round and full tits, and an arse many witches would envy, but every time they would finish, Draco had almost to feign his tiredness or make up an excuse for her to leave.

This time, while shagging her, the only thing Draco could think about was going back to his manor and the dread and anxiety it caused him. Pansy was moaning non-stop at his ministrations, and although Draco wanted to distract himself with her pleasurable moans as he rode her, all he could think of was the meaning of him going home.

"Uh, fucking good… uh, Draco." Pansy kept moaning his name, but Draco couldn't pay her any less attention, his focus never leaving his thoughts. "Uh, Dr- Uhhh Malfoy!" Pansy screamed, and his last name on her lips brought back to Draco memories of a certain Mudblood who used to call him like that often. A Mudblood who was at fault for the job he didn't want but had to get himself into to avoid the worst from happening sooner. With as much force and hatred he could, he fucked Pansy until she could scream no longer, and he came. _Fuck_

He didn't know what drove him to shag Pansy like that, but after she made him remember Granger, he only wanted to take out his anger more aggressively and punch a wall. Of course, now that he was finished, he didn't feel that pressing urge to hit something any more.

"Wow, I didn't know you could _do_ that Draco!" Pansy said seductively and tried to kiss him. When he dodged the kiss, she raised an eyebrow at him,

"What's the matter? Why don't you want to kiss me? I thought you liked me." Draco looked at her with confused eyes and her frown deepened. "Didn't you hear me? What is it with you today? You've been out of it since I arrived. I asked why you didn't want to kiss me; I thought we were a thing." Draco had to try very hard not to insult Pansy over what she'd just said. Nothing annoyed him more than Pansy believing for the millionth time they were going out after they'd just shagged. She was his best friend, yes. And he also cared for her a lot, but lately, she was starting to get more on his wrong side than the good one.

"No Pansy, we are not a thing. I've told you many times before you're a nice shag and a good friend, but we can't become _a thing_." Pansy looked at him with angry eyes and folded her arms below her breasts. "And why is that?" Draco tried hard not to look below her chin, even though the view was very distracting.

"You know why," Draco said sombrely, remembering how he wouldn't be free to enjoy his bachelorhood for much time longer.

"But you said you wouldn't have to marry that brat until next year," Pansy said pouting, sitting next to him on his bed.

"And thank you for reminding me I have less than a year and a half to enjoy life before it happens," Draco said and passed his hand through his hair in exasperation, getting annoyed Pansy was still there.

"Can't you just revoke it?" Pansy asked, and Draco looked at her with a disdainful expression.

"It's those questions that make me doubt of your pedigree Parkinson. Of course, I can't just _revoke it!_ Marriage contracts are old binding magic; I can't get myself out of it even if I wanted to! I thought you knew that."

"Well yes but-"

"You know what, I've got patrols to do, and I think it's better for you to go." He said coldly, and without looking at her, he dressed.

Just after they were leaving his dorm, Hermione came through the portrait hole and spotted the two with dishevelled hair and rumpled clothes.

"Oh, lovely. And I thought you were just making progress with that Ravenclaw girl I saw you with the other day. I guess you'll always have a soft spot and bad taste for slags." Pansy's face reddened with anger and stormed down the stairs, wand in hand, ready to attack.

"Look who's talking Mudblood, you don't deserve to call anyone a slag when everybody knows you're not even worthy of that name," Pansy said sneering, and Hermione gave her a strange look.

"I'm sorry Pansy, but did you just admit that being called a slag is something to be worthy of?" Hermione said, noticing how her fist was grasping her wand and before anyone had to go to the infirmary, she decided to change topics, not wanting to start a row with the Slytherin.

"Anyway, I'm sorry if I interrupted your oh-so-very romantic evening, but Malfoy and I have to do rounds, and Professor McGonagall is also calling us. So, if you would please drag your slutty arse back to the dungeons, it would be greatly appreciated."

Before Pansy could hex her, Draco was already dragging Pansy out of their common room and promised he would talk to her later, and left with Granger towards the headmistress office, leaving an infuriated Pansy behind.

"She's right you know," Draco said, and Hermione turned to look at him with, not knowing what he was referring. "I mean Pansy was right about you not being worthy even of being called a slag."

She rolled her eyes and didn't stop to look at him. "Can you be any less childish, please? I know what you're trying to do, and no, I won't fall for your antics. Just behave until after we're done with the meeting with Professor McGonagall, please. She says it's important and I don't want your bloody attitude to ruin it like last time!"

Draco couldn't help but notice the ends of her bushy hair to spark with raw magic. He knew he had pissed her off, and it was enough for him not to say anything more until they arrived with McGonagall.

"As Head students and former war participants, I ask of you to investigate a possible drug smuggler inside the castle. Now, I don't want to fret any students given the proximity of the last war, and since this case is relatively still small, I want full secrecy from both of you." McGonagall said, looking pointedly at Draco.

"What type of drug?" Hermione asked, not knowing there was such a thing as magical drugs. Draco only rolled his eyes at her.

"Kingsley reported to me the Ministry doesn't know much about it, but it's becoming quite popular on the streets, all we know is that it is highly addictive, it's silver like powder and in significant quantities can cause death. We have two students now resting with Madam Pomfrey at the Hospital Wing, from the intoxication of it. They don't seem to recollect anyone giving it to them, but we are sure it happened inside the castle.

"I hate to confess it, but it could be a student who is giving these drugs to the other students. As Head Boy and Girl, I ask of you to report any unusual activity and pay closer attention to your rounds. I ask this of you, not only because you're Head students, but given the circumstances and both joining the Law Enforcement Department after your graduation, I believe this will be good practice." The witch said, smiling to Hermione, "Also, don't alert your fellow prefects yet, I want to keep this as secret as possible, or until it becomes a greater problem."

"Of course Professor, you can count on us," Granger said, and it took everything inside Draco not to roll his eyes at her again.

* * *

King Cross Station was packed with people by the time the Hogwarts Express arrived. Even though there was a lack of student body, most people there were family and friends, anxious to greet their beloved ones during Easter Holidays. It had been the same during Yule holidays, and since many parents weren't too assured about the end of the war, it seemed many families decided to come with cousins and grandparents to greet their sons and daughters as if to prove they were really safe. The Weasleys weren't an exception.

"Ugh, if I had known this much garbage would come, I wouldn't have bothered with it," Draco said with disgust as they passed a familiar red-headed lot waiting on the platform.

Hermione pierced her eyes at him. "People are just grateful and excited they're able to meet their beloved ones without distressing if they're going to see them or not. Besides, as Head Boy you can't miss the Hogwarts Express, we're still on duty until it stops. Even then, we must look into what Professor McGonagall said about the drug smuggler, and it could be anyone." Now it was Draco's turn to give her a look.

"Anyway, seeing the penniless Weasley lot is much more refreshing and attractive to the eye than to be stuck with your Mudblood face all the way from the castle." He chuckled and ignored her statement about McGonagall, not caring one bit about it.

"You can't be any more heinous can you Malfoy?" Hermione said and started to pack her books in her bag, ready to leave the train any moment now.

"I believe the word you're looking for is charming Granger. And no, I can't possibly be any more charming, I have enough witches falling at my feet to be able to keep up more." He flashed her a malicious smile, and Hermione shoved passed him.

"And _who_ is waiting for you at the platform, Malfoy? I haven't seen any Death Eaters around, besides the one standing in front of me, and I very much doubt mommy or daddy is willing to come out to the public eye." After his lack of response, with a smug smile, Hermione said: "That's what I thought.", and exited the compartment before Draco could hex her. He was sure he hated the witch. He was sure of it. He hated how her hair bounced as she walked and how her posture seemed that of a person who had just won. He gave her the pleasure of winning that argument, for he was sure after the holiday break was over, he was making her pay.

Draco stepped off the train and hating that Granger had been right, there was no one waiting for him at the platform. His father had only accompanied him to the Hogwarts express until his fifth year, and after everything that had happened, Draco understood why the man didn't want to return. And his mother told him in a letter before his departure she didn't want to mingle with the other wizards because she felt all the good families weren't in Hogwarts anymore, and it would be filled with inferior people. Draco had to only agree with her.

Not far away from where he stepped off the train, he saw the crowd of redheads and Potter embracing Granger and the youngest Weasley member. While trying not to be seen, Draco had his eyes glued to the person Hermione was currently hugging. Draco decided to hid behind the nearest pillar under the excuse he wanted to wait until the floo network had fewer people.

Weasley was carrying Granger's trunk, and from Draco's point of view, he missed the sore eyes Hermione had when he kissed her. The only thing Draco could see from where he was, was the tentacle arms Weasley seemed to possess as he snogged, or somewhat drowned, Hermione.

He didn't know for how long he stood there watching the scene, but the sound of Molly Weasley yelling, _"Ronald! This is a public space! Leave the girl to breathe for Merlin's sake, she must be exhausted from the trip!"_ snapped Draco out from his trance. He didn't know what possessed him to watch the whole ordeal, but he suddenly felt violently sick and prayed his lunch stayed inside his stomach. Before stepping into the floo network, Draco decided he was feeling sick because he couldn't believe another pureblood wizard would degrade himself to snog, let alone even _look_ at a Mudblood. _Yes, that must be it._

* * *

After the long way from the Hogwarts Express to his manor, the first thing Draco saw when he entered the main hall was the annoying yet angelical face of Astoria Greengrass. _This is just bloody perfect,_ he thought and approached her with an aristocratic smile and kissed her delicate hand as elegantly as he could.

"Miss Greengrass," He said in a polite tone and the younger witch blushed, "Please, call me Astoria. We've met before, and after all, this is only one of the many encounters we'll have in the future." Draco couldn't help but notice her hazel eyes sparkling and her plump lips turning upward at her words, and he gave her a curt nod.

"My mother told me you'd be visiting us for the holidays. Am I correct?" Draco was sure his fake smile could be seen by anyone who knew him well, and it was clear Astoria didn't. She smiled widely.

"Oh, yes! Your mother saw it adequate; we haven't seen each other since your Yule banquet, and I believe getting to know each other better is suitable before the wedding. Now that I attend Beauxbatons and haven't got the chance to be in England much, I thought these days would be perfect." She said, a faint blush adorning her ivory cheeks, and tucked a deep chestnut lock behind her ear while looking at Draco with big doe eyes. He wanted to vomit — the _wedding_.

After it was decided Draco would return to Hogwarts for his final year, he managed to convince his mother to postpone the wedding until one and half year later from working at the Ministry. The excuse was that he felt it wasn't righteous to marry the witch without a proper profession. But her constant reminder every time he saw her and the nagging of inviting Astoria to each holiday he spent at the manor, not to mention the _marriage contract_ , was enough to put Draco at his worst mood.

"Yes, I've noticed." Draco said, trying to sound as interested as possible, "How's school been so far?" Her eyes sparkled even more, and Draco thought if it was possible she could be any more annoying.

"Well, this is only my second and last year there, but I must admit, I've enjoyed my stay there." She said, and before Draco could make up an excuse to leave, she continued, "Although, I do miss my classmates at Hogwarts, especially my friends at Ravenclaw. I confess I didn't want to leave Hogwarts at all, but my parents were too worried after Dumbledore passed. Daphne managed to get away with it because she only had one year left, but my aunt Darcelle used to teach at Beauxbatons and well, you know the rest." _No, I didn't know even though this is a story you've probably told me before, and one I'll probably forget, again._ Draco thought.

To his relief, his mother entered the room and greeted them both "Draco! I wasn't expecting you until dinner, what a pleasant surprise. I see Astoria has already found you." She said with a knowing smile.

The young witch's cheeks burned with a deep shade of pink and quickly apologised, "I'm sorry Mrs Malfoy, I didn't want to appear discourteous. I was delighted when the house-elf informed me about Draco's arrival and couldn't help myself from meeting him. I should've notified you." She did a small curtsy and Narcissa softly chuckled. "Don't anguish yourself, child, I know you were only excited to meet him. And please, call me Narcissa. After all, we are practically family."

Draco hoped his mother missed the disdain in his eyes after what she'd said and even if she saw it, it didn't appear so. "Come Astoria dear, Vondy has prepared us tea." She brunette witch took Narcissa's arm, both dressed in long aristocratic dresses and made their way to the adjacent room.

"You should freshen up before you meet us for tea, Draco. Vondy!" Narcissa called, and before Draco could retort, a small elf appeared right next to her. "Mistress Malfoy called for Vondy?"

"Yes, have a bath ready for Draco, I believe he's had a long day." She said and turned to Draco, "When you're ready, please join us at the gallery for tea, even though it's a little more than a year away, there are numerous things we must discuss before the wedding. Your father and the Greengrasses will meet us after dinner." And without any further word, the witches disappeared from the room. Draco suddenly felt as sick as he had on Kings Cross Station, and not being able to identify what exactly he felt, he rushed towards his chambers to finally threw up.

* * *

 **A/N: Please let me know if you enjoyed it! And if you did, keep reading :)**


	3. Teamwork

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, life happened. I'm currently writing the next two chapters, and now that I graduated from university, I have plenty of free time (before I find a job lol), to work on the story. This chapter was longer than intended to be, but I found it hard to break it up in two, so here you go, a long chapter :)**

 **Also, I wanted to address this first before things start moving in the story: This work is a dark fic. Not as dark as some might be, but please understand there are topics mentioned in the story that may be triggering to some, so I ask you to read at your own risk. This will be my last note on this, so please if you do not feel comfortable about dark themes in general, please, this is not a fic for you.**

 **If you liked it, please read and review!**

* * *

"A pair of butterbeers won't do you any harm, Hermione. I'm sure no one will best you at school if you skip one night of studying and spend it out with friends."  
"Care to repeat that, Harry? I'm busy here trying to study the properties of baneberry." Hermione said, eyes still glued to her potions essay. Harry sighed. "Friends who you don't see as often? C'mon Hermione, you should take a breather and come with us. Ginny's coming too."  
Hermione finally looked up from her essay and saw Harry's imploring eyes begging her to give in just once, and with a heavy sigh, she slowly nodded and put down her quill.

Harry's overly excitement was visible on his whole demeanour, and Hermione saw him smile in a way she hadn't seen him do it ever since the end of the war. She didn't know why he was _that_ excited to go over to The Leaky Cauldron -they've gone multiple times before, but she hadn't seen him in months, and it was indeed refreshing to go out a bit before N.E.W.T.s started.

If Hermione felt uncomfortable with the attention she was given at Hogsmeade due to her renewed popularity, she felt ten times worse when they entered the Leaky Cauldron. The place looked different, bigger. When they entered, not only did everyone seemed to recognise them, but thought they knew all about them as well. Some photographers even dared to take them a few pictures without asking, and Hermione could only send angry glares their way because she knew a hex, or even the mention of it, was a ticket to the front page.  
"I didn't know the place would be packed. It's not even Friday." Ginny commented once they were seated in one of the tables near the far end wall.

"If we had arrived earlier maybe we could've gotten better seats," Harry commented under his breath, and Hermione did everything in her power not to roll her eyes at him. It wasn't her fault Harry had asked her to come an hour barely before they arrived. She saw him trying to get someone and ask for better seats, and she narrowed her eyes.

Hermione didn't want to admit it, but since the end of Voldemort, Harry would sometimes use the fame at his advantage. Not that he noticed, or used it as much, but Hermione would not let him this time. It simply wasn't fair to the others. Before he could get away, she asked, "Seats for what? I like it here, it's more private, and there's less chance for people to eavesdrop."

Harry looked surprised. "Oh, Ron didn't tell you? Luna's band is playing tonight. It's the first time they play in a venue like this, and I promised we would come. She wants to do a full album after the school's over, but first, she wanted to test the waters, to see if it'll work out."  
"Oh…no. No, he didn't tell me…" Hermione said and looked over to Ron, who was busily checking out one of the waitresses and not paying attention to the conversation at all. _Couldn't be more surprised,_ she thought and rolled her eyes. "If it makes you feel better Hermione, Harry here, forgot to mention it to me as well." Ginny's eyes shot Harry daggers, and before the witch could say more, he motioned a waiter to come over and asked for a round of butterbeers for the four of them.

A few butterbeers in, and it was time for Luna's show. The Leaky Cauldron had magically transformed for the night. In the centre of the place, tables and chairs were transfigured into a small round stage platform, ready to use. A curtain opened, and Luna, along with two wizards Hermione didn't recognise, entered the small stage and got ready to play.  
"Wow, this place is crowded," Luna said with a nervous laugh, and the public laughed empathically. "Well, we're Luna and the Ipomoea Albas, and I hope you enjoy our show tonight!" The lights dimmed even more, and melodic jazz music started playing. Everyone seemed to enjoy the show, and the-boy-who-lived was no exception.

"Harry? Harry! Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Ginny said exasperatedly and standing up from the table, made her way towards the bar. Harry hadn't as much noticed this and instead kept his eyes glued to the young blonde who wore a gold sequin dress, scarlet lips, and sang jazz. Harry's eyes widened, and his cheeks flushed when Luna sat on a stool and crossed one leg over the other, revealing an awful amount of her left leg in the process. Hermione didn't know if she could blame him. She saw Ron was, in fact, also distracted -too distracted with a waitress to be paying any mind to them, and so she decided to join Ginny at the bar.

"Oh shit, I can't let them see me here," Ginny said and quickly tried to cover herself from the tables at their right. "Hermione, could you accompany me to the other side of the bar? I've decided I want to have fun tonight." She said and quickly drowned a shot of Firewhiskey before making her way to the left side of the bar. Hermione readily followed her, trying to avoid further looks.

* * *

After a couple of drinks in Hermione was ready to leave. Luna's show would end soon, and she didn't feel like staying longer than necessary.  
Meanwhile, Ginny's mind looked elsewhere and kept drinking. "You look like you had too much to drink for tonight don't you think? Besides, who are you hiding from? You told me your nightly escapades were done for." Hermione whispered to Ginny, trying to see if she could spot the wizards, witches, or whatever Ginny was referring to.  
"I -yes, but can you blame me for them?" Ginny whispered back and motioned with her head the side of the table where Harry sat. Hermione turned and saw what Ginny meant. Harry had already set his seat in a way that was giving his whole back to Ginny's chair and was now fully facing the stage.

"Shouldn't you tell him something?" Hermione said, looking at Harry; any minute now, and she had no doubt he would be the first one to start clapping. "Meh, why bother? I'm pissed, he's pissed, and I'm sure whatever I say to him will not only appear in the front pages tomorrow, but he'll get mad at me for ruining "his" night. I'm surprised the reporters haven't realised yet this is deader than my late aunt Muriel." Ginny finished, and while biting her bottom lip her, her gaze was remote and obscure. Hermione felt sad for her best friend. Even though she knew Ginny was trying to avoid it, she was having a hard time accepting the inevitable would come sooner or later.

Before she could reply, Ginny's voice continued, "And I don't even know with whom I'm more furious at for all this mess. At Harry for cheating on me and probably not loving me anymore? At Luna for being a "slag" to let Harry seduce her? No, scratch that, Luna's not at blame here… Or at me for letting this happen right in my face, and refusing to see it sooner?" Ginny's eyes were glassy, and Hermione silently cast a notice-me-not spell around them to avoid any scandals with the paparazzi.

"You know," She said, facing Hermione, glass in hand, "I tried to have my revenge at him for what he did with Luna. I tried, and even though I managed to have my way with her, I felt nothing afterwards. Far from feeling satisfaction, I felt like shit. I felt like shit because Harry knew I did it on purpose to hurt him, and I wasn't plastered like he was at the time. And I knew that wasn't an excuse, and he wasn't in the right to be mad at me for it; I was just spiteful and resented for what he did! But I just couldn't leave him then. I couldn't because I'm weak, and because I still love him." She contemplated her Firewhiskey for a moment before she tossed it back. Tears were now streaming down Ginny's face, and Hermione gave her friend a hug.  
Hermione tried not to be angry at Harry because not only was he one of her best friends, but she knew Ginny had also cheated on him. Hermione also believed that Ginny had cheated on him with even more people than he did, with both wizards and witches. And like Ginny said it, the relationship was strained, and they both probably already knew it, but were too afraid to confront one another. But even then, she knew Ginny was hurting; her cheating on him wasn't out of love, but from a heartbreak, and Hermione wasn't so sure Harry cheating was just something of a one-time fling with Luna. If Harry wasn't one to break up with her, he could _at least_ pretend he cared.

She took Ginny to the loo, where the redheaded witch then proceeded to throw up the almost half bottle of Firewhiskey she'd drunk moments before into one of the toilets. Hermione knew Ginny would forget their conversation by morning and decided that studying for the N.E.W.T.s could wait, Ginny needed her friend at the moment. "C'mon Gin, let's head back to Harry's. I believe you need a Vitamix potion and some rest."

Exiting the loo, Hermione spotted the figure of Ronald Weasley almost smothering the petite waitress she saw him with earlier in the night. They were in the back tables near the loo, trying to make it go undetected. Given the lights were dim enough for his hair not to stand out, they would have gone unnoticed if it weren't for the jumper he was wearing – Hermione had given it to him for his one of his birthdays. She was speechless. _Why?_ Fighting back tears, Hermione knew it was unfair of him to be doing that, not only because he was clearly cheating on her, but they could be photographed at any instant, and she knew what would happen if she tried to leave him. She didn't expect Ron to be a loving boyfriend, or even a gentleman with her (after the third week of dating, she knew it wasn't worth it to keep hoping for those things when she knew they would never happen), but she at least assumed he would respect her. She could see it was also pointless to expect that from him now. Hermione tried to face away, and her eyes caught Harry at the other side of the bar, talking intimately to Luna. _They looked dangerously close_. Even if the conversation seemed innocent enough, the playful smile Harry had, and the way his green eyes were fixed on the blond, told Hermione otherwise. Before Ginny could recognise them, and feeling disgusted with all men for the night, she quickly exited with her friend through the backdoor of the bar. She apparated them to Grimmauld Place, not noticing the dark eyes of Blaise Zabini following them as they left. _Interesting_

* * *

The ride back to Hogwarts was the most silent one Hermione had experienced in all of her school years. Malfoy didn't say a word at her the whole time, and only grunted in response when she told him they needed to make the train patrols. She couldn't say she missed their not-so-healthy banter, but after co-living for almost a year as head students, she was accustomed to it. She hated to admit it, but Hermione could now tell whenever he was waspish -his bottom lip would do the smallest pout, and his eyes would flare up at the tiniest things. The only surprising thing was the lack of snobbish and cynical retorts he would make when talked to. _He must be furious at something to neglect any chance to insult me_ Not that she paid much attention to those things, of course. Shaking the thought away, she only wondered what would've bothered him so in the Easter holidays to put him in that mood.

Not even a week had passed after their return at school before McGonagall asked for Hermione and Draco's presence at her office. The parchment was almost blank for the exception of the words **_Please come to my office immediately. Urgent Matters_** written in long, elegant writing, alongside McGonagall's at the bottom of the parchment.  
Entering the Headmistress office quickly, they were told there was a student gravely intoxicated with what they believed was the drug McGonagall informed them briefly before the Easter Holidays. She hurriedly led them to the Hospital Wing and instructed them not to speak of it with anyone.

The intoxicated student resting at the Hospital Wing was a sixth year Hufflepuff. He was unconscious when Hermione and Draco arrived alongside McGonagall and saw Madame Pomfrey putting on a wet cloth over his forehead. "He still has a fever, but since we found him, it has decreased a little." His face was paler than a white parchment, and his lips were dry and blueish. "What happened to him?" Hermione found herself asking Madame Pomfrey and the matron looked at her with sad, glassy eyes before she looked back at the boy. "It was a friend of him that found James near the fourth-floor staircase. Poor James was convulsing when he arrived and had almost no pulse. He had this inside his pocket." Madame Pomfrey took a small piece of parchment from her apron and handed it to McGonagall. "It looks like different times and locations." The Headmistress noted with a frown and showed the paper to Draco and Hermione. Hermione guessed it was the different locations the dealer used to meet James. " _Three Broomsticks, last table at the back, Saturday 5 pm, The one-eyed-witch passage, Tuesday 10:30 pm_ … Is it possible some of the paintings would've witnessed this?" She looked up to the older witches, and they slowly shook their heads.  
"They were all asleep, and those who did see James only saw him alone. If he doesn't get better by morning, I'm afraid we'll have to transfer him to St. Mungo's." McGonagall said grimly. "That bad?" Draco told for the first time in the evening, and McGonagall gave him a curt nod.

"I must ask both of you to inform this to the prefects tonight, with much discretion and with little detail as possible. We don't know yet who is causing this and we can't afford to trust anyone. After tonight's meeting, you'll patrol the third-floor corridor. If the paper's right, James is supposed to meet with this person there, at ten o'clock." "Of Course," Hermione nodded after the instruction the Headmistress gave to them and gave Draco a nudge at the arm to agree as well. He gave her a furtive look, but answered nonetheless "Yes Headmistress".

* * *

Later in the night, Draco was ready to leave after consulting the new information McGonagall had just given to Hermione and him to the prefects. It was a last-minute meeting, just before curfew, and everyone was tired, and after the meeting, also a little tense. The war was still a sore topic to most of the student body, and now, having to digest the possibility of a new "threat" put a hesitant and iffy mood in the students.  
Draco began following the other prefects out of the classroom, but was stopped by Hermione, "Where do you think you're going? We have to patrol the third-floor corridor, remember?" He heard her say and closed his eyes, mentally cursing the Gryffindor for remembering. "Can't seem to cool it for one bit can you Granger?" He said in return, turning to look back at her. "Why don't you call Weasley? I'm sure she'd be willing to help you out tonight, or is she too busy having one of her outings today?" He smirked, and Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "I won't let you have it tonight Malfoy. I'm tired too, but we are required as Head Students to help on this. Besides, you have no proof, Ginny goes out of the castle. After what we saw today at the infirmary, I'm sure Headmistress McGonagall won't be too pleased to hear the Head Boy refused to patrol the castle when there's a possible, and dangerous drug-dealer roaming inside the grounds. After all, you're still on probation until the term ends, and I'm confident Kingsley will be keen to revalue your Auror position if you're expelled before we graduate." He clicked his tongue, and Hermione gave him a winning look before exiting the classroom, not bothering to look back at him.

They reached the third-floor corridor, and just as the note said, there was an empty classroom just before turning to the underground chambers.  
"All right, this is the spot," Hermione said, not liking how gloomy it felt to return to the third-floor corridor. Even though it now seemed like a distant memory, the thought of a giant three-headed dog chasing after her still burned inside her mind.  
"I'm not surprised this was where they agree to meet, this place is barren." Draco eyed the area with a disgusted face. There were spiderwebs everywhere, and the windows were stained to the point one couldn't see the outside.  
"Although... if you think about it, this could be a sweet spot if you wanted to come and shag a bird. It wouldn't be my place of choice of course, after all, I can do it in the comfort of the common room, don't you think Granger?" He half looked at her, still contemplating his surroundings.

"You're a complete tosser, did you know?" She threw him a look of disgust, and he only laughed. Hermione couldn't think of anyone wanting to shag here, even less to consider entering here. She was looking at the empty classroom at their left to be able to hide, and a place to read her book, when she heard him reply "Sorry, I forgot our perfect Head Girl was too pure to even think about fucking. I can't imagine how unfortunate you are for having Weasley as a boyfriend." Hermione wanted to slap him. She remembered the satisfaction she felt when she did it back in their third year. It felt good, but if she were to do it now, she knew she'll never hear the end of it. She stayed quiet and decided not to give Draco the benefit.

"What? You're not going to talk to me anymore? Cat got your tongue? Or was it your love for Weasley that finally made a toll on your so-called "intelligence"?" Hermione was trying not to pay attention to Malfoy's taunts, but when he mentioned the word love and Ron in the same sentence, she finally looked up from her book and locked eyes with him.  
Hermione couldn't say she _loved_ Ronald Weasley. Not really. She wasn't even sure if she favoured him enough to have a romantic relationship with him, but Hermione also knew she didn't have a choice in the matter. She was trapped with him. He knew something no one else did. Something that could potentially put her in a wrong position from every perspective one would look at, and something she knew he would let out, making people misunderstand, at any moment without a doubt if she even dared to think of leaving him.

"Shut it Malfoy." She said seconds after. She looked at him. He may be one of the most-good-looking wizards in Hogwarts (or at least that's what Ginny always tells her), but his rotten attitude and lack of manners managed to overpower his appearance. She narrowed her eyes. "You may act all mighty, and say all the right amount of hurtful comments to make one suffer. But you don't fool me Malfoy. The lame redemption acts you're making everybody fall for, they're just a hoax and nothing more. You have the position of Head Boy, yes, but I assure you, _you're not worthy of it._ " Before he could respond to her, Hermione continued, "And now, if you don't want to get discovered and make us waste the entire night here, I suggest you to shut it, and stop projecting yourself on others."

"Shut up, bitch, you can't tell me what to do," Draco said with a sneer, and Hermione rolled her eyes at him.  
"Suit yourself, but I'm not going to wait around here in the open and blow our chance to get the student. If you'll excuse me, I'll go inside the classroom and wait for whoever might come." Raising her chin, Hermione turned and entered the empty classroom. Draco saw her scourgify one of the school desks before sitting on the chair in it and read her book with the small light her wand provided. He slowly approached the small, dark classroom and sat on the chair opposite from where Hermione was.

The conversation he had with Hermione made him remember a similar one that had passed between him and Daphne Greengrass, a few nights before they came back. He gritted his teeth at Hermione because he knew there was no lie in her speech. No lie at all, and it made Draco uncomfortable. Not because of the things she said to him, he already knew them, but he didn't like the way she saw through his deceit, his mask.

 _"I know you're not worthy of her" Daphne Greengrass had told him on his balcony two nights before he returned to school. His parents decided to have a soiree, inviting only the best of the wizarding society, and of course, The Greengrass family could not miss the event._  
 _Draco never had really the chance to speak properly to Daphne before. There were a few times where he had to follow etiquette and make small talk to the witch, but he hadn't cared enough to get to know her entirely or call her a friend. She was one of the prettiest girls back at Hogwarts, and one of the smartest, but blondes with straight hair were never really his type. And although he knew Theo fancied the witch at some point, he only remembered her as the sister of "his future wife". Draco's stomach could only revolt at the idea._

 _"Oh? And do confess, what gave you that impression?" He said with a bored tone. Draco would die first before admitting he didn't like the way Daphne was looking down her nose at him. She narrowed her blue eyes at him and pursed her lips before saying, "You can't deceive me, Draco. You may believe me as a dolt, but I'm not. You may also have deluded the others into thinking you're the perfect suitor, even my sister believes it -not me."_

 _"I may not be around Hogwarts anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't hear the rumours or know what is happening inside the school grounds. Your constant indecent acts with different witches_ _ **disgust**_ _me. Pansy Parkinson? Really? I might believe the worse of you, but even then, I would never expect for you to still be around that harlot!" Daphne wrinkled her nose at the mention of Pansy, and Draco couldn't lie if he said his pride wasn't hurt at that moment. He was bored, his life faltered the excitement he long desired. So, what if he liked to shag with a few birds? What if he liked the way Pansy was an easy shag and one that would always be at his disposition? He didn't care for her or any of his other shags, it wasn't like he'd marry any of them. He was doomed anyway._

 _"And I suppose you'll run and tell Astoria about all of this "assumptions" you have?" He said with a defiant look._

 _"No," She responded with angry eyes. "I won't because she's the happiest I'd ever seen her, and I don't want to be the one to take that away from her. No, I won't Draco. And you know why?" She said, stepping closer to him, "I know you don't love or even care for my sister, I know how much you despise this contract, and I know how much you desire you could find a strategy to end it. And you know what? I pay no mind to any of those things. I pay no mind at all being there is no end to the contract, and you know that well. Unless of course, you wish to die, or bound your soul to the darkest of magic." She said with a sneer, and Draco didn't know if he should be more scared of this new side of Daphne or relieved it was Astoria and not her the one he had to marry. He looked into the glass doors and saw the angelical face of his "fiancée" talking amicably with some guests. She turned his way and flashed him a warm, timid smile before returning to the conversation. Draco made a face of disgust. He really didn't want any of this._

 _"What do you want me to say to that? I've lost the little faith I had in almost everything. I'm bored with life, and all that I know is that I don't want to spend the rest of my life next to someone I'm not fully committed to." He found himself confessing and sighed. He looked up to Daphne and trying his best to be polite said, "I don't want to hurt your sister, but it wasn't my fault to feel this way about things. Can you blame me for keeping the search for a way to end the contract?" Draco said and looked at her with imploring eyes, hoping she would fall for it. She didn't._

 _"I'm sorry, but I honestly don't care for your feelings Draco," Daphne replied in a cold tone. "In behalf of my little sister, I take it upon me to make sure you do your job adequately no matter what. You don't love Astoria? As long as you're the world's best actor and make her believe that you do, I don't care. Like I've told you, I don't care about you, or your life; I only care about seeing her with a smile on her face and joy in her eyes."_

 _She started walking towards the glass doors, and before she reached the handle, she turned to him and added, "If you've lost your faith on things then find it again. The wedding's not until next year's winter. You have a little more than a year and a half to make things work. You still have time to sort out your feelings and be a real man." Draco saw her disappear inside the manor and cursed out loud before breaking his goblet with his hand._

Draco eyed his barely visible scar left from breaking the goblet and tugged his jumper sleeve further down, trying to forget the dreaded memory. He hated Granger for reminding him of the holidays.  
He was still having a hard time accepting the fact he would be married to Astoria goody-two-shoes Greengrass in less than two years, and even if there was still hope for something to happen before the wedding, the dream seemed far-away. And it wasn't like Astoria was ill-favoured or unpleasant. Far from it; she was one of the most graceful witches he'd ever seen in his whole life. And judging from her lineage, she was also well-mannered and cultured. He knew Astoria would be the perfect wife and mother. But he even knew she would be just that, an ideal doll, and nothing more. She lacked the excitement and challenge Draco needed, desired.

She was raised to learn how to please and serve him in whatever he required, and to keep quiet when it was not her place to speak. Any man would dream for a wife like her, hell, even Draco would've loved at some point to have someone like her as a wife. But after his parents told him of their engagement, his excitement for it began to slowly decrease. As time passed, he slowly realised he was marrying someone to make him look good with the socialite, with the press. Someone reticent with a charming face and an impeccable blood lineage who would eventually breed him the perfect heir. Someone who wouldn't be his equal, but rather his unconditional marionette. Just like his parent's marriage. Draco wasn't so sure he wanted that in life. Merlin, he didn't even know if he wanted to get married at all! Even less if he wished for any children in the future. He wanted a challenge, someone who wasn't predictable, who wasn't afraid. Someone who'd get him fired up. _When did I get so unimpressed?_

Shaking the thought away, he then again thought of Hermione. The witch was the complete opposite of what Astoria represented. She'd never shut up, she was far from being a lady in high society (she was a mudblood after all), and there was always some kind of "injustice" happening that would upset her. Not to mention the bird's nest, she called hair. He couldn't remember a single moment where he felt at ease with her. There was invariably something about the witch that made his blood boil, make the heat go up to his ivory cheeks, and his pupils dilate. A visceral feeling, he couldn't quite place yet, but knowing it was no good. Realising he was unconsciously comparing the two witches, he quickly stood up from the chair and began pacing.

Hermione was quietly reading her book, and he suddenly felt irritated at her. He was irritated at her peacefulness, at the way her eyes swiftly moved through the sentences and absorbed the information printed on the books, and at how she would chew on her bottom lip whenever she was in deep thought.  
Seizing her book with his right-hand Draco eyed it briefly before closing it with a snap "Muggle literature? And I started to think you _muggle-borns_ may have a chance in this world. Guess not." He laughed and challenged Hermione to come closer. There was no way she could grab the book from his hands.

"Give it back, Malfoy! You had no right!" Hermione stood up from the chair and tried to grab the book from Draco's hand. He only raised his arm more and made it for her completely unreachable. She mentally cursed for her shortness and forgetting about decency, tried to jump for the book. Draco was laughing, and suddenly his eyes caught a glimpse of skin Hermione's jumper revealed when she tried to grab her book. He was momentarily distracted, and she caught her book, snatching it from his hand. "What's wrong with you? Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" He was back to reality in a second and before he could protest about what Hermione had just said about his family, they both heard movements coming out from the classroom and the sound of someone quickly running. Both Hermione and Draco looked at each other, and forgetting about their quarrel for a minute, hastily followed the sound.

Before the person running could make it out of the third-floor long corridor, Draco stopped them " _Expelliarmus!_ " The wand flew to Draco's hand, and the person was thrown to the nearest wall, falling to the ground with a loud thump. They reached the fallen student and removed the cloak he was wearing. It was a sixth year Ravenclaw and groaned when Draco moved him with his leg. "Get up, wanker! Can't believe a bitch like you would make me waste my night like this! Didn't you hear me? Get up!" The Ravenclaw slowly got up and put his hand on his back, trying to soothe the pain. "I'm sorry! Please! I didn't do anything!"

"What are you doing here, Dennis? Most importantly, breaking curfew?" Draco had to roll his eyes at Hermione. She definitely missed the guts to confront criminals.  
"I-I was just looking for James! That's all! I'm innocent!"  
"James' at the Hospital Wing, you twat, fighting for his life after the drugs you gave him!" Draco was having none of it. His night was ruined, and after this, he hoped he could avoid the nightly patrols for a few nights. Dennis' eyes went wide with realisation, and he paled. "Oh, now you remember? Then start talking you little shit we don't have all night!" Draco grabbed him by the collar and Hermione tried to stop him. "-Malfoy wait! Don't be so aggressive, you'll scare him!"  
"He should be! A ninny who couldn't even smuggle his drugs properly, and now he caused a student to overdose! I said talk you shit!" Draco didn't know what came over him, but he had Dennis cornered to the wall and was ready to use his wand at any cost.

"You can't talk to me like that! Why should I respect you? You're just a Death Eater-" Hermione couldn't reach Draco in time as he crashed Dennis' body to the wall. "Malfoy STOP! You're going to hurt him!"

"Good, let him feel pain as the crummy drug dealer he is!" He said, not letting go of Dennis' collar.

"I'm not a drug dealer! I was just here to see someone with James! T-that's all!"

"How about not only do we take away fifty points from Ravenclaw but make him write a one hundred page essay in how to speak to his superiors!" His nose flared, and he had his jaw clenched. He wasn't going to let a brat disrespect him and get away with it. Draco admitted body force was a bit excessive, but at the time he was furious

"Malfoy stop! He said he's not the dealer! You can let him go!" She tried desperately to separate them both without using making, for she knew McGonagall was utterly against the use of any magic in students.

"Oh fuck off, Granger! I bet if he was disrespecting the trolls you call friends you'd be the same. Now speak you, idiot!" Dennis was dumbfounded from the was Draco was pushing and pulling on him and managed "W-we were supposed to meet someone here! I don't know who this person is, but all I knew was James telling me there was this new treat around and it was bloody fantastic! I don't know any drug dealers, and I surely didn't know about James being in the Hospital Wing! Now please just let me go, I promise I won't tell!" Dennis was on the verge of tears, and Draco still had a hold on him.

"And do you think we'll believe you? Don't expect anything less than a full report to McGonagall about this!" Once more, Draco slammed Dennis against the wall and Hermione snapped.

"I said, let him _GO_!" Hermione tried to separate the wizards with her both her trunk and hands, not tolerating Draco's behaviour for a second longer. Body full of adrenaline, the force of the act made her slip and make them fall to the ground. She fell on top of Draco and Dennis to the side of them.

After giving them one final look, Hermione said in a tired tone "Just go." and the Ravenclaw fled the scene, forgetting about his cloak. Realising she was laying on top of him Hermione quickly moved away, and Draco moved to a sitting position.

"If he ends up being the one who's smuggling drugs, I'm blaming you for letting him go." Draco sighed with frustration."He wasn't the one doing it. I'm sure of it." Hermione couldn't be one hundred per cent sure, but she could almost swear she heard him whisper the word Mudblood alongside two more words.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she accused him, "If you hadn't used physical force, he might've told us the whole story! You scared him away! Not to mention you must've hurt him as well!" Hermione was breathing hard, and Draco only looked at her, pensively. After what seemed forever, he got closer to her and whispered in her ear "If I didn't know any better, I bet you wished it was you cornered in that wall." He was dangerously close, and Draco's eyes lingered on her eyes for a second and then lowered them to her lips. He looked up at her once more before he turned his head sideways and stood up from the ground. Hermione followed suit and tried to ignore the fact the was a rapid fluttering inside her ribcage.

"Knowing you, you'll go running towards McGonagall and report what happened this instant. But don't expect me to follow, I'm too tired, and unlike you, I like to sleep a little before classes tomorrow." He turned and started walking towards the exit, not looking back to see if she followed.

Hermione stood on the third-floor corridor a second longer than Draco, not understanding fully what had just transpired between them. She knew they were probably flustered with Dennis, and with the new lead, but even after Draco let him go and called the night off, her heart wouldn't stop beating, and her breath was still shaky. She stared at Draco's back as he was already leaving, and before he could turn and look at her staring, her legs started moving mechanically, dragging her alongside her blonde companion. She tried not to think about it, but the dark twitch in her core stirred again stronger this time.

* * *

After a couple of drinks in Hermione was ready to leave. Luna's show would end soon, and she didn't feel like staying longer than necessary.  
Meanwhile, Ginny's mind looked elsewhere and kept drinking. "You look like you had too much to drink for tonight don't you think? Besides, who are you hiding from? You told me your nightly escapades were done for." Hermione whispered to Ginny, trying to see if she could spot the wizards, witches, or whatever Ginny was referring to.  
"I -yes, but can you blame me for them?" Ginny whispered back and motioned with her head the side of the table where Harry sat. Hermione turned and saw what Ginny meant. Harry had already set his seat in a way that was giving his whole back to Ginny's chair and was now fully facing the stage.

"Shouldn't you tell him something?" Hermione said, looking at Harry; any minute now, and she had no doubt he would be the first one to start clapping. "Meh, why bother? I'm pissed, he's pissed, and I'm sure whatever I say to him will not only appear in the front pages tomorrow, but he'll get mad at me for ruining "his" night. I'm surprised the reporters haven't realised yet this is deader than my late aunt Muriel." Ginny finished, and while biting her bottom lip her, her gaze was remote and obscure. Hermione felt sad for her best friend. Even though she knew Ginny was trying to avoid it, she was having a hard time accepting the inevitable would come sooner or later.

Before she could reply, Ginny's voice continued, "And I don't even know with whom I'm more furious at for all this mess. At Harry for cheating on me and probably not loving me anymore? At Luna for being a "slag" to let Harry seduce her? No, scratch that, Luna's not at blame here… Or at me for letting this happen right in my face, and refusing to see it sooner?" Ginny's eyes were glassy, and Hermione silently cast a notice-me-not spell around them to avoid any scandals with the paparazzi.

"You know," She said, facing Hermione, glass in hand, "I tried to have my revenge at him for what he did with Luna. I tried, and even though I managed to have my way with her, I felt nothing afterwards. Far from feeling satisfaction, I felt like shit. I felt like shit because Harry knew I did it on purpose to hurt him, and I wasn't plastered like he was at the time. And I knew that wasn't an excuse, and he wasn't in the right to be mad at me for it; I was just spiteful and resented for what he did! But I just couldn't leave him then. I couldn't because I'm weak, and because I still love him." She contemplated her Firewhiskey for a moment before she tossed it back. Tears were now streaming down Ginny's face, and Hermione gave her friend a hug.  
Hermione tried not to be angry at Harry because not only was he one of her best friends, but she knew Ginny had also cheated on him. Hermione also believed that Ginny had cheated on him with even more people than he did, with both wizards and witches. And like Ginny said it, the relationship was strained, and they both probably already knew it, but were too afraid to confront one another. But even then, she knew Ginny was hurting; her cheating on him wasn't out of love, but from a heartbreak, and Hermione wasn't so sure Harry cheating was just something of a one-time fling with Luna. If Harry wasn't one to break up with her, he could _at least_ pretend he cared.

She took Ginny to the loo, where the redheaded witch then proceeded to throw up the almost half bottle of Firewhiskey she'd drunk moments before into one of the toilets. Hermione knew Ginny would forget their conversation by morning and decided that studying for the N.E.W.T.s could wait, Ginny needed her friend at the moment. "C'mon Gin, let's head back to Harry's. I believe you need a Vitamix potion and some rest."

Exiting the loo, Hermione spotted the figure of Ronald Weasley almost smothering the petite waitress she saw him with earlier in the night. They were in the back tables near the loo, trying to make it go undetected. Given the lights were dim enough for his hair not to stand out, they would have gone unnoticed if it weren't for the jumper he was wearing – Hermione had given it to him for his one of his birthdays. She was speechless. _Why?_ Fighting back tears, Hermione knew it was unfair of him to be doing that, not only because he was clearly cheating on her, but they could be photographed at any instant, and she knew what would happen if she tried to leave him. She didn't expect Ron to be a loving boyfriend, or even a gentleman with her (after the third week of dating, she knew it wasn't worth it to keep hoping for those things when she knew they would never happen), but she at least assumed he would respect her. She could see it was also pointless to expect that from him now. Hermione tried to face away, and her eyes caught Harry at the other side of the bar, talking intimately to Luna. _They looked dangerously close_. Even if the conversation seemed innocent enough, the playful smile Harry had, and the way his green eyes were fixed on the blond, told Hermione otherwise. Before Ginny could recognise them, and feeling disgusted with all men for the night, she quickly exited with her friend through the backdoor of the bar. She apparated them to Grimmauld Place, not noticing the dark eyes of Blaise Zabini following them as they left. _Interesting_

* * *

The ride back to Hogwarts was the most silent one Hermione had experienced in all of her school years. Malfoy didn't say a word at her the whole time, and only grunted in response when she told him they needed to make the train patrols. She couldn't say she missed their not-so-healthy banter, but after co-living for almost a year as head students, she was accustomed to it. She hated to admit it, but Hermione could now tell whenever he was waspish -his bottom lip would do the smallest pout, and his eyes would flare up at the tiniest things. The only surprising thing was the lack of snobbish and cynical retorts he would make when talked to. _He must be furious at something to neglect any chance to insult me_ Not that she paid much attention to those things, of course. Shaking the thought away, she only wondered what would've bothered him so in the Easter holidays to put him in that mood.

Not even a week had passed after their return at school before McGonagall asked for Hermione and Draco's presence at her office. The parchment was almost blank for the exception of the words **_Please come to my office immediately. Urgent Matters_** written in long, elegant writing, alongside McGonagall's at the bottom of the parchment.  
Entering the Headmistress office quickly, they were told there was a student gravely intoxicated with what they believed was the drug McGonagall informed them briefly before the Easter Holidays. She hurriedly led them to the Hospital Wing and instructed them not to speak of it with anyone.

The intoxicated student resting at the Hospital Wing was a sixth year Hufflepuff. He was unconscious when Hermione and Draco arrived alongside McGonagall and saw Madame Pomfrey putting on a wet cloth over his forehead. "He still has a fever, but since we found him, it has decreased a little." His face was paler than a white parchment, and his lips were dry and blueish. "What happened to him?" Hermione found herself asking Madame Pomfrey and the matron looked at her with sad, glassy eyes before she looked back at the boy. "It was a friend of him that found James near the fourth-floor staircase. Poor James was convulsing when he arrived and had almost no pulse. He had this inside his pocket." Madame Pomfrey took a small piece of parchment from her apron and handed it to McGonagall. "It looks like different times and locations." The Headmistress noted with a frown and showed the paper to Draco and Hermione. Hermione guessed it was the different locations the dealer used to meet James. " _Three Broomsticks, last table at the back, Saturday 5 pm, The one-eyed-witch passage, Tuesday 10:30 pm_ … Is it possible some of the paintings would've witnessed this?" She looked up to the older witches, and they slowly shook their heads.  
"They were all asleep, and those who did see James only saw him alone. If he doesn't get better by morning, I'm afraid we'll have to transfer him to St. Mungo's." McGonagall said grimly. "That bad?" Draco told for the first time in the evening, and McGonagall gave him a curt nod.

"I must ask both of you to inform this to the prefects tonight, with much discretion and with little detail as possible. We don't know yet who is causing this and we can't afford to trust anyone. After tonight's meeting, you'll patrol the third-floor corridor. If the paper's right, James is supposed to meet with this person there, at ten o'clock." "Of Course," Hermione nodded after the instruction the Headmistress gave to them and gave Draco a nudge at the arm to agree as well. He gave her a furtive look, but answered nonetheless "Yes Headmistress".

* * *

Later in the night, Draco was ready to leave after consulting the new information McGonagall had just given to Hermione and him to the prefects. It was a last-minute meeting, just before curfew, and everyone was tired, and after the meeting, also a little tense. The war was still a sore topic to most of the student body, and now, having to digest the possibility of a new "threat" put a hesitant and iffy mood in the students.  
Draco began following the other prefects out of the classroom, but was stopped by Hermione, "Where do you think you're going? We have to patrol the third-floor corridor, remember?" He heard her say and closed his eyes, mentally cursing the Gryffindor for remembering. "Can't seem to cool it for one bit can you Granger?" He said in return, turning to look back at her. "Why don't you call Weasley? I'm sure she'd be willing to help you out tonight, or is she too busy having one of her outings today?" He smirked, and Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "I won't let you have it tonight Malfoy. I'm tired too, but we are required as Head Students to help on this. Besides, you have no proof, Ginny goes out of the castle. After what we saw today at the infirmary, I'm sure Headmistress McGonagall won't be too pleased to hear the Head Boy refused to patrol the castle when there's a possible, and dangerous drug-dealer roaming inside the grounds. After all, you're still on probation until the term ends, and I'm confident Kingsley will be keen to revalue your Auror position if you're expelled before we graduate." He clicked his tongue, and Hermione gave him a winning look before exiting the classroom, not bothering to look back at him.

They reached the third-floor corridor, and just as the note said, there was an empty classroom just before turning to the underground chambers.  
"All right, this is the spot," Hermione said, not liking how gloomy it felt to return to the third-floor corridor. Even though it now seemed like a distant memory, the thought of a giant three-headed dog chasing after her still burned inside her mind.  
"I'm not surprised this was where they agree to meet, this place is barren." Draco eyed the area with a disgusted face. There were spiderwebs everywhere, and the windows were stained to the point one couldn't see the outside.  
"Although... if you think about it, this could be a sweet spot if you wanted to come and shag a bird. It wouldn't be my place of choice of course, after all, I can do it in the comfort of the common room, don't you think Granger?" He half looked at her, still contemplating his surroundings.

"You're a complete tosser, did you know?" She threw him a look of disgust, and he only laughed. Hermione couldn't think of anyone wanting to shag here, even less to consider entering here. She was looking at the empty classroom at their left to be able to hide, and a place to read her book, when she heard him reply "Sorry, I forgot our perfect Head Girl was too pure to even think about fucking. I can't imagine how unfortunate you are for having Weasley as a boyfriend." Hermione wanted to slap him. She remembered the satisfaction she felt when she did it back in their third year. It felt good, but if she were to do it now, she knew she'll never hear the end of it. She stayed quiet and decided not to give Draco the benefit.

"What? You're not going to talk to me anymore? Cat got your tongue? Or was it your love for Weasley that finally made a toll on your so-called "intelligence"?" Hermione was trying not to pay attention to Malfoy's taunts, but when he mentioned the word love and Ron in the same sentence, she finally looked up from her book and locked eyes with him.  
Hermione couldn't say she _loved_ Ronald Weasley. Not really. She wasn't even sure if she favoured him enough to have a romantic relationship with him, but Hermione also knew she didn't have a choice in the matter. She was trapped with him. He knew something no one else did. Something that could potentially put her in a wrong position from every perspective one would look at, and something she knew he would let out, making people misunderstand, at any moment without a doubt if she even dared to think of leaving him.

"Shut it Malfoy." She said seconds after. She looked at him. He may be one of the most-good-looking wizards in Hogwarts (or at least that's what Ginny always tells her), but his rotten attitude and lack of manners managed to overpower his appearance. She narrowed her eyes. "You may act all mighty, and say all the right amount of hurtful comments to make one suffer. But you don't fool me Malfoy. The lame redemption acts you're making everybody fall for, they're just a hoax and nothing more. You have the position of Head Boy, yes, but I assure you, _you're not worthy of it._ " Before he could respond to her, Hermione continued, "And now, if you don't want to get discovered and make us waste the entire night here, I suggest you to shut it, and stop projecting yourself on others."

"Shut up, bitch, you can't tell me what to do," Draco said with a sneer, and Hermione rolled her eyes at him.  
"Suit yourself, but I'm not going to wait around here in the open and blow our chance to get the student. If you'll excuse me, I'll go inside the classroom and wait for whoever might come." Raising her chin, Hermione turned and entered the empty classroom. Draco saw her scourgify one of the school desks before sitting on the chair in it and read her book with the small light her wand provided. He slowly approached the small, dark classroom and sat on the chair opposite from where Hermione was.

The conversation he had with Hermione made him remember a similar one that had passed between him and Daphne Greengrass, a few nights before they came back. He gritted his teeth at Hermione because he knew there was no lie in her speech. No lie at all, and it made Draco uncomfortable. Not because of the things she said to him, he already knew them, but he didn't like the way she saw through his deceit, his mask.

 _"I know you're not worthy of her" Daphne Greengrass had told him on his balcony two nights before he returned to school. His parents decided to have a soiree, inviting only the best of the wizarding society, and of course, The Greengrass family could not miss the event._  
 _Draco never had really the chance to speak properly to Daphne before. There were a few times where he had to follow etiquette and make small talk to the witch, but he hadn't cared enough to get to know her entirely or call her a friend. She was one of the prettiest girls back at Hogwarts, and one of the smartest, but blondes with straight hair were never really his type. And although he knew Theo fancied the witch at some point, he only remembered her as the sister of "his future wife". Draco's stomach could only revolt at the idea._

 _"Oh? And do confess, what gave you that impression?" He said with a bored tone. Draco would die first before admitting he didn't like the way Daphne was looking down her nose at him. She narrowed her blue eyes at him and pursed her lips before saying, "You can't deceive me, Draco. You may believe me as a dolt, but I'm not. You may also have deluded the others into thinking you're the perfect suitor, even my sister believes it -not me."_

 _"I may not be around Hogwarts anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't hear the rumours or know what is happening inside the school grounds. Your constant indecent acts with different witches_ _ **disgust**_ _me. Pansy Parkinson? Really? I might believe the worse of you, but even then, I would never expect for you to still be around that harlot!" Daphne wrinkled her nose at the mention of Pansy, and Draco couldn't lie if he said his pride wasn't hurt at that moment. He was bored, his life faltered the excitement he long desired. So, what if he liked to shag with a few birds? What if he liked the way Pansy was an easy shag and one that would always be at his disposition? He didn't care for her or any of his other shags, it wasn't like he'd marry any of them. He was doomed anyway._

 _"And I suppose you'll run and tell Astoria about all of this "assumptions" you have?" He said with a defiant look._

 _"No," She responded with angry eyes. "I won't because she's the happiest I'd ever seen her, and I don't want to be the one to take that away from her. No, I won't Draco. And you know why?" She said, stepping closer to him, "I know you don't love or even care for my sister, I know how much you despise this contract, and I know how much you desire you could find a strategy to end it. And you know what? I pay no mind to any of those things. I pay no mind at all being there is no end to the contract, and you know that well. Unless of course, you wish to die, or bound your soul to the darkest of magic." She said with a sneer, and Draco didn't know if he should be more scared of this new side of Daphne or relieved it was Astoria and not her the one he had to marry. He looked into the glass doors and saw the angelical face of his "fiancée" talking amicably with some guests. She turned his way and flashed him a warm, timid smile before returning to the conversation. Draco made a face of disgust. He really didn't want any of this._

 _"What do you want me to say to that? I've lost the little faith I had in almost everything. I'm bored with life, and all that I know is that I don't want to spend the rest of my life next to someone I'm not fully committed to." He found himself confessing and sighed. He looked up to Daphne and trying his best to be polite said, "I don't want to hurt your sister, but it wasn't my fault to feel this way about things. Can you blame me for keeping the search for a way to end the contract?" Draco said and looked at her with imploring eyes, hoping she would fall for it. She didn't._

 _"I'm sorry, but I honestly don't care for your feelings Draco," Daphne replied in a cold tone. "In behalf of my little sister, I take it upon me to make sure you do your job adequately no matter what. You don't love Astoria? As long as you're the world's best actor and make her believe that you do, I don't care. Like I've told you, I don't care about you, or your life; I only care about seeing her with a smile on her face and joy in her eyes."_

 _She started walking towards the glass doors, and before she reached the handle, she turned to him and added, "If you've lost your faith on things then find it again. The wedding's not until next year's winter. You have a little more than a year and a half to make things work. You still have time to sort out your feelings and be a real man." Draco saw her disappear inside the manor and cursed out loud before breaking his goblet with his hand._

Draco eyed his barely visible scar left from breaking the goblet and tugged his jumper sleeve further down, trying to forget the dreaded memory. He hated Granger for reminding him of the holidays.  
He was still having a hard time accepting the fact he would be married to Astoria goody-two-shoes Greengrass in less than two years, and even if there was still hope for something to happen before the wedding, the dream seemed far-away. And it wasn't like Astoria was ill-favoured or unpleasant. Far from it; she was one of the most graceful witches he'd ever seen in his whole life. And judging from her lineage, she was also well-mannered and cultured. He knew Astoria would be the perfect wife and mother. But he even knew she would be just that, an ideal doll, and nothing more. She lacked the excitement and challenge Draco needed, desired.

She was raised to learn how to please and serve him in whatever he required, and to keep quiet when it was not her place to speak. Any man would dream for a wife like her, hell, even Draco would've loved at some point to have someone like her as a wife. But after his parents told him of their engagement, his excitement for it began to slowly decrease. As time passed, he slowly realised he was marrying someone to make him look good with the socialite, with the press. Someone reticent with a charming face and an impeccable blood lineage who would eventually breed him the perfect heir. Someone who wouldn't be his equal, but rather his unconditional marionette. Just like his parent's marriage. Draco wasn't so sure he wanted that in life. Merlin, he didn't even know if he wanted to get married at all! Even less if he wished for any children in the future. He wanted a challenge, someone who wasn't predictable, who wasn't afraid. Someone who'd get him fired up. _When did I get so unimpressed?_

Shaking the thought away, he then again thought of Hermione. The witch was the complete opposite of what Astoria represented. She'd never shut up, she was far from being a lady in high society (she was a mudblood after all), and there was always some kind of "injustice" happening that would upset her. Not to mention the bird's nest, she called hair. He couldn't remember a single moment where he felt at ease with her. There was invariably something about the witch that made his blood boil, make the heat go up to his ivory cheeks, and his pupils dilate. A visceral feeling, he couldn't quite place yet, but knowing it was no good. Realising he was unconsciously comparing the two witches, he quickly stood up from the chair and began pacing.

Hermione was quietly reading her book, and he suddenly felt irritated at her. He was irritated at her peacefulness, at the way her eyes swiftly moved through the sentences and absorbed the information printed on the books, and at how she would chew on her bottom lip whenever she was in deep thought.  
Seizing her book with his right-hand Draco eyed it briefly before closing it with a snap "Muggle literature? And I started to think you _muggle-borns_ may have a chance in this world. Guess not." He laughed and challenged Hermione to come closer. There was no way she could grab the book from his hands.

"Give it back, Malfoy! You had no right!" Hermione stood up from the chair and tried to grab the book from Draco's hand. He only raised his arm more and made it for her completely unreachable. She mentally cursed for her shortness and forgetting about decency, tried to jump for the book. Draco was laughing, and suddenly his eyes caught a glimpse of skin Hermione's jumper revealed when she tried to grab her book. He was momentarily distracted, and she caught her book, snatching it from his hand. "What's wrong with you? Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" He was back to reality in a second and before he could protest about what Hermione had just said about his family, they both heard movements coming out from the classroom and the sound of someone quickly running. Both Hermione and Draco looked at each other, and forgetting about their quarrel for a minute, hastily followed the sound.

Before the person running could make it out of the third-floor long corridor, Draco stopped them " _Expelliarmus!_ " The wand flew to Draco's hand, and the person was thrown to the nearest wall, falling to the ground with a loud thump. They reached the fallen student and removed the cloak he was wearing. It was a sixth year Ravenclaw and groaned when Draco moved him with his leg. "Get up, wanker! Can't believe a bitch like you would make me waste my night like this! Didn't you hear me? Get up!" The Ravenclaw slowly got up and put his hand on his back, trying to soothe the pain. "I'm sorry! Please! I didn't do anything!"

"What are you doing here, Dennis? Most importantly, breaking curfew?" Draco had to roll his eyes at Hermione. She definitely missed the guts to confront criminals.  
"I-I was just looking for James! That's all! I'm innocent!"  
"James' at the Hospital Wing, you twat, fighting for his life after the drugs you gave him!" Draco was having none of it. His night was ruined, and after this, he hoped he could avoid the nightly patrols for a few nights. Dennis' eyes went wide with realisation, and he paled. "Oh, now you remember? Then start talking you little shit we don't have all night!" Draco grabbed him by the collar and Hermione tried to stop him. "-Malfoy wait! Don't be so aggressive, you'll scare him!"  
"He should be! A ninny who couldn't even smuggle his drugs properly, and now he caused a student to overdose! I said talk you shit!" Draco didn't know what came over him, but he had Dennis cornered to the wall and was ready to use his wand at any cost.

"You can't talk to me like that! Why should I respect you? You're just a Death Eater-" Hermione couldn't reach Draco in time as he crashed Dennis' body to the wall. "Malfoy STOP! You're going to hurt him!"

"Good, let him feel pain as the crummy drug dealer he is!" He said, not letting go of Dennis' collar.

"I'm not a drug dealer! I was just here to see someone with James! T-that's all!"

"How about not only do we take away fifty points from Ravenclaw but make him write a one hundred page essay in how to speak to his superiors!" His nose flared, and he had his jaw clenched. He wasn't going to let a brat disrespect him and get away with it. Draco admitted body force was a bit excessive, but at the time he was furious

"Malfoy stop! He said he's not the dealer! You can let him go!" She tried desperately to separate them both without using making, for she knew McGonagall was utterly against the use of any magic in students.

"Oh fuck off, Granger! I bet if he was disrespecting the trolls you call friends you'd be the same. Now speak you, idiot!" Dennis was dumbfounded from the was Draco was pushing and pulling on him and managed "W-we were supposed to meet someone here! I don't know who this person is, but all I knew was James telling me there was this new treat around and it was bloody fantastic! I don't know any drug dealers, and I surely didn't know about James being in the Hospital Wing! Now please just let me go, I promise I won't tell!" Dennis was on the verge of tears, and Draco still had a hold on him.

"And do you think we'll believe you? Don't expect anything less than a full report to McGonagall about this!" Once more, Draco slammed Dennis against the wall and Hermione snapped.

"I said, let him _GO_!" Hermione tried to separate the wizards with her both her trunk and hands, not tolerating Draco's behaviour for a second longer. Body full of adrenaline, the force of the act made her slip and make them fall to the ground. She fell on top of Draco and Dennis to the side of them.

After giving them one final look, Hermione said in a tired tone "Just go." and the Ravenclaw fled the scene, forgetting about his cloak. Realising she was laying on top of him Hermione quickly moved away, and Draco moved to a sitting position.

"If he ends up being the one who's smuggling drugs, I'm blaming you for letting him go." Draco sighed with frustration."He wasn't the one doing it. I'm sure of it." Hermione couldn't be one hundred per cent sure, but she could almost swear she heard him whisper the word Mudblood alongside two more words.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she accused him, "If you hadn't used physical force, he might've told us the whole story! You scared him away! Not to mention you must've hurt him as well!" Hermione was breathing hard, and Draco only looked at her, pensively. After what seemed forever, he got closer to her and whispered in her ear "If I didn't know any better, I bet you wished it was you cornered in that wall." He was dangerously close, and Draco's eyes lingered on her eyes for a second and then lowered them to her lips. He looked up at her once more before he turned his head sideways and stood up from the ground. Hermione followed suit and tried to ignore the fact the was a rapid fluttering inside her ribcage.

"Knowing you, you'll go running towards McGonagall and report what happened this instant. But don't expect me to follow, I'm too tired, and unlike you, I like to sleep a little before classes tomorrow." He turned and started walking towards the exit, not looking back to see if she followed.

Hermione stood on the third-floor corridor a second longer than Draco, not understanding fully what had just transpired between them. She knew they were probably flustered with Dennis, and with the new lead, but even after Draco let him go and called the night off, her heart wouldn't stop beating, and her breath was still shaky. She stared at Draco's back as he was already leaving, and before he could turn and look at her staring, her legs started moving mechanically, dragging her alongside her blonde companion. She tried not to think about it, but the dark twitch in her core stirred again stronger this time.

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 **A/N: If you liked it please review!**


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